Excellent Workspaces Can Establish Great Brands

It seems just a few years ago when we landed our first big client. Everything was in place and the client was about to sign the contract with us, when they expressed their interest to visit our office first. This put us slightly aback as ours was still a boot-strap operation.

We had minimal infrastructure at office and had no opportunity to focus on the interiors. In fact even the walls and the carpets did not really match. In panic, we decided to give it a touch of paint one week before their date of arrival. We did close the deal despite the smell of fresh paint that they could sniff; but I wish we had an awesome looking office back then.

That wish is now fulfilled at both our offices.

The point that I am making here is that office interiors are not something that you can neglect, whatever be the stage of your business growth. The kind of furniture and fittings you choose talk a lot about the personality of your brand. It creates that first impression in the minds of your visitors, which is, most of the times, irreversible. It even emphasizes your vision and your passion. The kind of care that you put in while creating your office environment reflects the amount of care with which you are likely to complete your projects/assignments. The good news is that you don’t really have to spend a fortune to do up your office. All it needs is a bit of creativity and a whole lot of passion.

Let us focus on a few workstations that have been done up carefully enough to reflect the personality, the values and the goals of their brands. In fact, you could even call a couple of these as ‘monuments.’

– Google: We are talking about Google’s London office here. The office has an innovative space featuring copious glass. The fittings are all brightly colored. It has an indoor football pitch. The highlight however is the seven feet Android Robot. It’s their way of making their workplace the happiest and the most productive one.– Vodafone: Vodafone Netherlands recently opened up their headquarters at Amsterdam, by incorporating their brand into their design. While using a lot of color and light, Vodafone products were showcased and a neighborhood atmosphere was created. It offered many comfortable social spaces for interaction, while supporting a healthy lifestyle. All in all, the “wow” factor was very much evident in the decor.– Facebook: Staying ahead of the curve, even if it means disregarding the rules, is the attitude that has contributed to the success of Brand Facebook. In order to drive home the theme of innovation, they keep changing reshuffling their furniture at their headquarters at Menlo Park California. This approach is highly refreshing and encourages free exchange of ideas between employees.– Apple: Apple new headquarters is ring shape to distinguish itself as a Brand, just as it does through its products.– Amazon: Amazon is building its headquarters in Seattle in a completely urban style – absolutely functional and utilitarian, the same as its no-fuss, no-clutter website.– Shutterstock: An open-plan design is what Shutterstock has adopted for its office in the Empire State Building. It offers a variety of workstations for its people.– Infosys: Infosys created a beautiful palace for its office in Mysore in order to provide a very natural and serene atmosphere to its creative and genius minds. Tucked away from the chaos of the city, the office architecture is inspired by the many luxury palaces you might have seen in England or Rajasthan.– Quirky: You will spot their 3D printers, laser cutters, saws, drills, their paint booth and their vacuum forming and skin cutting machines, as you enter their office. This magical space inspires their employees to get things done in an energetic way, while focusing on innovation.– General Assembly: The focus here is on collaboration. You spot nothing but whiteboards, blackboards and cork walls as you enter this open and light-filled space. The walls will remind you of Pinterest boards, with sketches pinned up by the students.

Your office is where all the innovation happens through collaboration over a few cups of chai or coffee. Make sure you create a relaxing atmosphere with excellent work equipment, comfy furniture and some extra-mile amenities. Initially it might require you to spend some amount of money; but the kind of productivity and the boost in morale you see, will definitely make it worthwhile.

We, at Litmus, sincerely believe that workspace decor matters a lot when it comes to creating an excellent work atmosphere and adopting a vibrant culture will contribute to the absolute happiness of your staff and of course, to your bottom-line.